Copying appliances



Feb. 21, 1967 G, RA SKENS A 3,304,849

COPYING APPLIANCES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1964 Jnvenfor;

G. CRANSKENS 5A LGER ZJ'CJMJ' AGENT 1967 G. CRANSKENS ETAL ,3

COPYING APPLIANCES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 1, 1964 o CRANSKEN m M GN L LE A e sW W 1967 e. CRANSKENS ETAL 3,304,849

COPYING APPLIANCES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 1, 1964 Jnven/ors 0 cRANSKENS W-SALGER 1957 G. CRANSKENS ETAL 3,304,349

COPYING APPLIANCES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed June 1, 1964 Jnven/ars G-CRANSKENS w. SA (LSSER I3Y 4-H; j. gww

A GENT Feb. 21, 1967 G. CRANSKENS ETAL COPYING APPLIANCES Filed June 1,1964 my. I

5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jn ven are 6 CRANSKENS W- SALGER AGENT United StatesPatent of Germany Filed June 1, 1964, Ser. No. 371,549

application Germany, June 5, 1963,

Claims priority, L

Claims. for. 95-73) The invention relates to a copier with a supportingsurface permeable to radiation and more particularly to light,comprising on one side thereof a source of radiation such as light andon the other side a contact cover of adjustable height adapted to pressagainst the supporting surface at least one copy sheet and an original,the apparatus further comprising resilient means for elasticallypressing the contact cover against the supporting surface, taking intoaccount the thickness of the original and/or the copy sheet.

The radiation source may 'be a set of thermal radiators enabling a copyto be made under the action of heat and with the use of suitablematerials as known in the art.

When the sources of the radiation are light sources and the contact baseis correspondingly transparent, the invention provides a socalled planarexposure device used for exposing the copy sheet which is then passedconveniently through a developer in conjunction wit-h a receivingmaterial, or a copier comprising such a planar developing devicetogether with a developing device having actuatable parts such assqueeze and transport rollers and a pivoting lever for actuating a tankfor the developing fluid, as well as a motor for the automatic actuationof these parts.

In known apparatus with a cover, this cover is operated by hand; then apreviously preset exposure clock or a drive motor is switched on inorder to effect the exposure and to actuate the moving parts of anassociated developing device. It is known, for example, to release theheight-adjustable contact cover in response to the action of theexposure clock by means of a magnet, allowing a transport means tobecome effective whereby the copy sheet is carried into the developingdevice.

The manual operation of the contact cover, which may be either pivotableor movable translatorily parallel to the contact supporting surfacepresents certain difiiculties, because in this case the cover is movedor retained generally against the force of a spring tending to lift thecover. Either the cover is held by hand in its position for the durationof the exposure, which is inconvenient and tiring, or there is provideda crank drive which is self-locking in the contact position and in thelifted position by moving beyond its dead-center points. However, eventhis automatic movement of the contact lever is somewhat unsatisfactoryeven if the crank is actuated via a transmission, since it requires acertain amount of time and effort for its operation.

There are also still in use planar exposure devices in which a contactcover is lockable in position by means of clamps and the contact is madeby a complex pneumatic pumping arrangement which inflates a pressurecushion. This construction is particularly wasteful from the point ofview of time and effort.

The present invention has for an object the provision of a copier, andmore particularly a planar copier, which no longer requires the effortheretofore needed for operating the contact cover and in which it isonly necessary to operate a lever in order to move the contact coverinto its operative or its inoperative position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus with acontact cover which may be omrated 3,364,849 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 "icewith the least possible expenditure of working time and effort.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus with acontact cover which may be simply operated and wherein the contact coveradjusts itself automatically to the thickness of the original.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a radiationapparatus with a contact cover which can be operated so easily that theoperator can devote more attention to the correct insertion and contactof the copy sheets and their further treatment since he is relieved fromcarrying out the rather long adjustment for operating the contact cover.

According to the invention, able in height, is actuated by a motor,which urges the contact cover into its contact position by means of aspring under tension and restores it, upon the actuation of an actuatinglever, into an elevated position in which the motor is deenergized.

With the use of thermal developing, the invention relates to a completecopier with a stationary operational position of the copy sheet forcarrying out the copying, or to a planar developing appliance having amovable member in the form of an electric drive motor.

It should be noted in this conjunction that certain special problemsarise from the fact that an actuating lever, which in one of itspositions also turns off the machine, cannot exclusively and directlycontrol the drive motor because during its movement into the Offposition the lifting of the contact cover must also be effected. Thisresults in certain diificulties which have hitherto prevented thisobject from being satisfactorily realized.

Although there are already known pivotable or translatorily movablecontact covers, these solution are not quite satisfactory, because, onthe one hand, with a pivotable contact cover special adjusting means arerequired on the articulated side for adjustment to the thickness of anoriginal, and, on the other hand, with contact covers with translatorymovements only a limited interspace was available between the contactcover and the supporting surface for introducing the original and thecopy sheet.

In the case in which the contact cover moves at least prior to thecontact wit-h the supporting surface substantially parallel thereto, apreferred embodiment of the invention provides that the cover isautomatically pivotable into its raised position automatically after atranslatory movement way from the operating location. In this manner theadvantages of both movements of the cover are combined whilst thehitherto experienced disadvantages are avoided.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, in acopier with an exposure clock or timer for controlling the radiationsources, the exposure thfi contact COVGI, lIlOV- of this magnet afterthe lapse of the exposure time causes automatically the opening of thecover and the de-energization of the motor. In order to provide fullyautomatic operation, a member operated by the contact pressure of thecover is provided for switching an exposure clock. The term exposureclock used in this description is defined, in its wider sense, as atiming element switching the radiation sources on and off.

According to a further feature of the invention the cover is mounted onsupporting levers each of which is guided by two studs in a slottedguide, bent at its upper end to enable the pivoting of the preferably aguide plate movable ing as a movable support mounting for at least onestud.

The switching lever energizes, according to the invention, the motor fordriving an actuating mechanism; the

motor circuit comprises two switches connected in parallel, one of whichis actuatable by the switching lever; and the other is controlled by atoggle lever in the driving mechanismand breaks, after the reversal ofthe switching lever, the motor circuit only after the parts of thedriving mechanism have been restored to the position corresponding tothat of the raised cover. In this manner, the arrangement of theswitching lever provides a control handle which controls automaticallythe necessary operational functions or stages including particularly thede-energization of a distinct driving mechanism which is located withina housing and need not necessarily be connected with the cover or with apart rigidly connected therewith.

Preferably, this driving mechanism has a motor-driven crank plate whosepin collaborates with a control lever, the mechanism further comprisingat least one fixed rail and one trip lever movable relatively to thesaid control lever and pivotable by the switching lever into a positionforming an abutment for the crank pin. This arrangement provides simplemeans for performing the dual function of turning the motor on for theexposure and thereafter lifting the cover, with subsequent stopping ofthe motor, upon a return movement of an on-and-off lever.

Preferably, the said trip lever has a lug engaging a tappet during themovement of the on-and-olf or actuating lever into the off position soas to move the trip lever into a position in which it forms an abutmentfor the crank pin in order to return the control lever.

Conveniently, the control lever operates, via a lever arrangementtranslating the movement, a spring member which causes the cover to belifted by means of a crank lever, this spring member being tensionablein order to provide the contact pressure for the cover but acting aspressure member during the last phase of the cover-opening movement.

When the copier is equipped with a developing device having a drivemotor for its movable parts, the invention provides as the power sourcefor the contact cover a coupling between this drive motor and a memberof the cover-drive mechanism, specifically the said crank plate. Theswitching lever serves here conveniently for engaging and disengagingthe coupling after switching on the appliance, or else the coupling maybe automatically engaged during the switching on in order to move thecontact cover into its operative position, whilst after the lapse of theexposure time the coupling may be automatically disengaged ashereinbefore described so that the contact cover is lifted off and thedevelopment can be carried out. This last solution is regarded asparticularly important because only a single actuating member isrequired for such a combined apparatus and the apparatus is placed inreadiness for the next copy by the winding up of the exposure clockwhich prepares the system for the motorized operation of the cover,possibly by means of a further pushbutton-type operating member.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, withreference to an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawing,representing in a diagrammatical form only those parts of a thermalcopier with planar exposure device necessary for the realization of theinvention, without, however, restricting the invention to this preferredembodiment.

In'the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows with parts broken away, a cross-sectional side elevation ofthe apparatus according to the invention in its starting position;

FIG. 2 is a view corresponding to that in FIG. 1, with the contact coverin its operating position in contact with the supporting surface;

FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to that in FIG. 1, showing the apparatusin an intermediate position be- FIG. 4 is a view corresponding to thatin FIG. 1, showing an operational position for moving the contact coverinto the contact position after the actuation of the switching lever andafter the start of the initial movement of the contact cover; and

FIGS. 5a to 5d show different circuits useful for explaining theconditions of the control circuits of the apparatus.

The invention will be further explained with special reference to aplanar exposure device.

This exposure device has a housing 1 subdivided by a partition 2 into anexposure chamber 3 and a drive chamber 4. The top of the exposurechamber 3 is covered by a transparent top 5 forming a supportingsurface. In the chamber 3 there are several radiation sources 6, 7 whichare switched on and off as a function of th operation of an exposureclock. The chamber 3 is closed laterally by side walls 3 extendingparallel to the plane of the drawing. These side walls 8 are arranged inspaced relationship from the housing side walls, extending parallelthereto, the outer wall facing the viewer having been omitted. Betweenthe walls 8 and the outer Walls there is a guide mechanism for a contactcover 9, mounted on lateral support arms 10, which extend at rightangles to the contact cover and terminate in the space between the outerhousing walls and the intermediate walls 8.

These intermediate walls 8 have two vertical slots 11, 12; the slot 12has on its upper end an arcuately bent portion 13, pointing to the rightside in FIG. 1, by means of which a separate pivoting movement of theraised cover into the position shown in FIG. 1 is carried out.

The ends of the support arms 10 remote from the covers 9 have two pins14, 15 which engage in the slot 12 and are so long that they extendthrough corresponding orifices in a guide plate 16 forming part of avertically slidable carriage. The pin 15 engages in an oblong cutout 17of the guide plate 16, extending parallel to the slot 12, whilst an openrecess 18 is provided for the pin 14 which terminates towards the top ina slot-shaped extension 19.

On the left end of the guide plate '16 (of which there are in fact two,namely one on either side of the apparatus, together constituting theslidable carriage), there are guide pins 20, 21, one vertically underthe other, engaging in the slot 11. These guide pins ensure the parallelmovement of the guide plate 16. The pin 21 extends through the slot 11and carries an extension which is embraced by the fork 22 of abell-crank lever 23, pivotable about a pivot 24, mounted in theintermediate wall 8 or in the associated outer wall.

When the guide plates 16 are moved vertically downwardly by means of theslots 11, the pin 15' is carried along after reaching the upper end ofthe cutout 17. This causes the support arms 10 to pivot into theposition of FIG. 4 in which the arms 10' are vertical and the contactcover 9 is parallel to the contact base 5.

During the further movement of the guide plates 16, the contact cover ispulled downwards against the supporting surface 5, with a certainvertical play within the range of the cutout 17 and the undercut 19aligned therewith. In the position of FIG. 4 the pin 14 rests under itsown Weight on the lower edge of the oblong cutout 17 after it has beenmoved by means of this hole first from its sloping position into aposition parallel to the surface 5. In addition, there may also beprovided a slpsring between the support arms 10 and the guide plates Itmay be seen from the preceding description that the guide plates 16 onboth sides of the surface 5 form a moving frame for the contact cover 9which lets this cover slide and pivot by virtue of the pin-and-slotconnections 14, 15, 12.

The leg 25 of the bell-crank lever 23, remote from the fork 22. isarticulately connected through a helical spring member is connected withelements 2.5, 27 by axial lugs 28, 29, hearing hinge pins 30, 31. Thepivoting lever 27 is rotatable about an axis of a plastic sleeve 76which is mounted in the intermediate wall 8, and is connectedwith thatlever by a square 77 passing through the housing so that the pivotinglevers 27 on both sides are torsionally interconnected.

'I he pivoting levers 27 are each provided wit-h an axially extendingslot 32 having a wider portion 33 on one end facing the hinge pin 31. Inthis slot there is guided a guide roller 35, rotatable about a pin 34,which is located on a control lever 37, rotatable at its other end abouta pivot 36'. The control lever 37 has two rigid guide rails 38, 39 alongits rear edge and a stop pin 40 substantially in the central region ofits front edges. A trip lever 42, provided with a hub 41 by which it isswingable about the pin 36, is pulled on the one hand by a tensionspring 43 against the rail 38 and has on the other hand a stop lug 44protruding beyond the control lever 37 so as pivot the trip lever 41against the force of the spring 43.

About the pivot pin 36 a switching lever 45 is pivota'ble whoseoperating end 46 passes through a slot 47 out of a housing cover 48 ofthe drive chamber 4. This switching lever carries an abutment pin 49having a peripheral groove. In addition, the switching lever 45 has aslot 50 curved concentrically about the pivot pin 36; a pin 51, arrangedon the wall 8 and also formed with a peripheral groove, protrudesthrough this slot 50. A spring clip 52 stressed towards the outside isarranged between the pins 49, 51 and retained by their peripheralgrooves. This spring clip determines the end positions of the switchinglever 45 in the manner of toggle device. These end positions are shownin FIGURES 1 and 2 and from which it will be seen that the pin 51 islocated in the bisectrix of the angle formed by the axis of theswitching lever 45 in its two limiting positions.

The switching lever 45 is a crank lever with a lu-g 53 carrying a stoppin 54. This stop pin is so arranged as to be capable of co-operatingwith the stop lug 44 (FIGS.

2 and 3) so that it can displace the trip lever 42 against the force ofthe spring 43.

The rails 38, 39 and the trip lever 42 are arranged on the edge of thecontrol lever 37 remote from the viewer. Near that edge there lies alsoa crank plate 55, rotating in the direction of the arrow (i.e.,counterclockwise), with a peripheral toothing 56 mating with a pinion 57mounted on the output shaft 58 of an electric gear motor unit 59 whichcan be switched on and off in any convenient manner and drives thepinion 57 and the crank plate 55. The crank plate 55 has a crank pin 87which is associated with the rail 38, 39 and with the trip lever 42 inorder to actuate the control lever 37 in accordance with its operatingposition.

The control circuit of the gear motor unit 59 contains two switches 60,61 connected in parallel. Of these switches, the switch 60 is closed bythe switching lever when the same is moved out of its position of FIG. 1to the left (see FIGS. 1 and 4). The switch 61 is closed when theextended switching member 62 thereof is released by the pivoting lever27 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4).

In FIG. 1 both switches 60 and 61 are open.

In FIG. 5, the switch contacts are designated with the same referencenumerals as the switches in the other figures. The operating positionsrepresented by FIGS. 1 to 3 are shown in diagrams (a), (b) and (c) inconjunction with the electric motor unit 59, the latter operating whenat least one switch is closed.

When the switching lever 45 is moved out of the position of FIG. 1 intothe position according to FIG. 4, the motor unit 59 is energized and thecrank pin 87, being in its starting position according to FIG. 1 andretaining the trip lever 42 against the force of the spring 43, abutsagainst the rail 39 and pivots the control lever 37 in acounterclockwise direction. This causes the pivoting lever 27 to swingin the clockwise direction through an intermediate position according toFIG. 4. The spring 26 is tensioned and carries along the crank lever 23,the forked end 22 of which moves the guide plate 16 downwardly. In thismanner, the contact cover 9 is moved into the horizontal positionaccording to FIG. 4, by means of the pins 14, 15 and the guide slot 12,in which the pin 15 rests under the weight of the cover on the loweredge of the oblong hole 17.

During the further movement of the crank plate 55, the apparatus reachesthe position shown in FIG. 2 in which the control lever 37 has beenrotated through about 60 and the pivoting lever 27 through about thespring 26 being tensioned and causing the crank levers 23 to move theguide plates 16 into their lowermost position. During this movement, thepins 14, 15 move in the slot extension 19 and in the oblong hole 17,respectively, and adapt their position to the thickness of the originaland copy sheets, ensuring the maintenance of an adequate contactpressure by virtue of the resilience of the spring 26.

It may also be seen that during the leftward movement of the controllever 45 from the position of FIG. 1, the switch 60 is closed so thatthe drive motor is energized and the drive is actuated. During theinitial movement of the pivoting lever 27, the switch 61 is closed, e.g.in the position FIG. 4.

When the contact cover 9 has reached its lowest position according toFIG. 2, the control lever 37 is in a nearly horizontal position as shownin FIG. 2. Upon the disengagement of the crank pin 87 from the triplever 42 in the intermediate position of FIG. 4, the trip lever ispulled by the spring 43 into the vicinity of rail 38. In the fullydeflected position of the lever 37 (FIG. 2), the trip lever 42 istherefore in a position in which the crank pin 87 can pass underneaththe trip lever 42 without thereby altering the position of the actuatingmechanism and of the contact cover 9.

When the switching lever 45 is moved according to FIG. 3 in theclockwise direction to the right, the stop pin 54 carries along the stoplug 44 in a clockwise direction, causing the trip lever 42 to be liftedoff the rail 38 against the force of the spring 43 and into engagementwith the stop pin 40. The trip lever 42 is thus within the path oftravel of the crank pin 87 which, during its further rotation in aclockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 3, causes again thecontrol lever 37 to pivot in a clockwise direction, thereby entrainingthe pivoting lever 27 in a counterclockwise direction whilstsimultaneously the spring 26 is relaxed. After the detensioning of thespring the same acts as a compression member and restores the pivotinglever 23 in a clockwise direction to the position of FIG. 1 whilst thecontact cover 9 is lifted.

During the return movement of the switching lever 45 according to FIG. 3the switch 60 is opened whereas the switch 61 is opened only when thepivoting lever 27 returns into its starting position of FIG. 1 andactuates the member 62.

The preceding description explains clearly the operation of thearrangement shown in the drawing, as well as the functional relationshipbetween the geared motor drive unit 59 and the switches 60, 61.

FIGURES l and 5 (d) indicate a further solution. A timing clock 63 mayhave an operating member 64 mounted externally on the housing. Thistiming clock may be started, for example, by depressing the operatingmember 64, closing a switch 65 in the circuit 66 of the radiationsources 6 and 7. Naturally, this takes place after the contact cover 9has been placed in its contact position (FIG. 2). The switching member45 is in its left-hand position, and may be connected with a pull magnet67. The field circuit 68 of this magnet is so connected by a delayedswitch 69 with the timing clock 63 that the field circuit 68 is closedwhen the exposure time has lapsed, causing the operating magnet 67 to beenergized and the switching member 45 to be moved back into itsright-hand position 7 (FIG. 3). The circuit 68 may then be opened as aresult of this return movement by a stop switch, not shown in thedrawing.

This arrangement makes possible the automatic opening of the cover 9after the termination of the exposure time.

Naturally, there may also be provided automatic devices for operatingthe clock 63, for example, upon the closure of the switch 61, such as acontact 70 shunted across the contacts for controlling the motor 59, viaa time relay 71 and a working magnet '72 through a lever 73 as indicatedin FIG. 5(e). This trigger circuit may be operated automatically througha switch '74 in response to the running down of the exposure clock 63; aparallel operation of the switch 74, on the one hand, and the switches65 and 69, on the other hand, may be provided.

The timing clock 63 in FIG. 1 may have a vertically movable triggerlever 75 located within the path of the contact cover 9 immediatelyahead of its lowest position and preferably adjacent to the supportingsurface 5, for operating the clock in response to the contact pressureof the cover in order to start the exposure timing.

Having thus fully described and disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. A copying apparatus comprising a housing with a radiation-permeablewall forming a supporting surface for an original and a copy sheet; asource of radiation in said housing; a cover mounted outside saidhousing for movement toward and away from said supporting surface;actuating means on said housing for moving said cover from an outwardlyswung open position to a closed position proximal to said supportingsurface preparatorily to energization of said source; and guide meansfor swinging said cover from said open position into an intermediateposition parallel to said supporting surface prior to movement of saidcover into said closed position upon operation of said actuating means,said guide means including a wall member of said housing with a guideslot having a straight portion perpendicular to said supporting surfaceterminating in a bend, a carriage slidable along said guide slot, an armon said cover having a first pin traversing said carriage and said guideslot, a second pin on said arm received in said guide slot in spacedrelationship with said first pin, and link means connecting saidcarriage with said actuating means for moving said carriage with saidfirst pin along the straight portion of said guide slot, said second pinentering said bend in a limiting position of said carriage for tiltingsaid arm and swinging said cover outwardly upon a return of said coverto said open position. v

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said carriage has anoblong cutout traversed by said first pin, said cutout registering witha friction of the straight portion of said guide slot for enablinglimited relative displacement of said first pin and said slider, saidcarriage further having a recess for said second pin provided with anundercut in line with said oblong cutout, said second pin beingreceivable in said undercut upon a movement of said carriage away fromsaid bend.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said wall member has asecond slot parallel to the straight portion of said side guide slot,further comprising at least one other pin on said carriage extendingthrough said second slot for restricting said carriage to translatorymotion.

4. A copying apparatus comprising a housing with a radiation-permeablewall forming a supporting surface for an original and a copy sheet; asource of radiation in said housing; a cover mounted outside saidhousing for movement toward and away from said supporting surface; andactuating means on said housing for moving said cover from an openposition remote from said supporting surface to a closed positionproximal to said supporting surface and subsequently returning saidcover to said open position; said actuating means comprising a drivemotor, an energization circuit for said motor including first and secondswitch means, an actuating element manually movable into a startposition for closing said first switch means to complete said energizingcircuit, a crank member coupled with said motor for'continuousunidirectional rotation thereby, a control member linked with said coverand displaceable between a normal position and an offnormal positionrespectively corresponding to said open position and said closedposition of said cover, said control member being positioned forentrainment by said crank member from said normal position to saidoff-normal position during a first revolution of said crank member whileremaining in said off-normal position during subsequent revolutions ofsaid crank member, said control member being operatively connected withsaid second switch means for closing the latter in said off-normalposition to maintain said motor energized independently of said firstswitch means, and trip means on said control member displaceable by saidactuating element into the path of said crank member upon a movement ofsaid actuating element to a stop position whereby said control member isentrained by said crank member for a return to said normal position withconsequent opening of said second switch member and de-energization ofsaid motor.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, comprising an articulated linkageconnecting said control member with said cover, said linkage including aresilient link arranged to be stressed by said control member in saidoff-normal position thereof for elastically urging said cover against anoriginal and copy sheet overlying said supporting surface.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said linkage comprises abell-crank lever connected with said cover and a swingable membercoupled with said control member, said resilient link being anchored tosaid swingable member and to said bell-crank lever for alternatetensioning and compression therebetween.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said control member iscoupled with said second switch means through the intermediary of saidswingable member.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said trip means comprisesa trip lever pivotally mounted on said control member, spring meanstending to swing said trip lever out of the path of said crank member,and stop means on said control member limiting a displacement of saidtrip lever against the force of said spring means by said crank member.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said actuating elementcomprises a toggle lever having an extension engageable with said triplever in said start position.

10. An apparatus as define-d in claim 4, further comprising an operatingcircuit for energizing said source of radiation in the closed positionof said cover, said operating circuit including timer means for movingsaid actuating element to said stop position at the end of apredetermined interval following energization of that source.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,421,413 7/1922Cossitt 75 2,255,811 9/1941 Richards 95-75 2,371,594 3/1945 Hineline9575 2,780,153 2/1957 White et al. 95-73 JULIA E. COINER, PrimaryExaminer.

1. A COPYING APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOUSING WITH A RADIATION-PERMEABLE WALL FORMING A SUPPORTING SURFACE FOR AN ORIGINAL AND A COPY SHEET; A SOURCE OF RADIATION IN SAID HOUSING; A COVER MOUNTED OUTSIDE SAID HOUSING FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE; ACTUATING MEANS ON SAID HOUSING FOR MOVING SAID COVER FROM AN OUTWARDLY SWUNG OPEN POSITION TO A CLOSED POSITION PROXIMAL TO SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE PREPARATORILY TO ENERGIZATION OF SAID SOURCE; AND GUIDE MEANS FOR SWINGING SAID COVER FROM SAID OPEN POSITION INTO AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION PARALLEL TO SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE PRIOR TO MOVEMENT OF SAID COVER INTO SAID CLOSED POSITION UPON OPERATION OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS, SAID GUIDE MEANS INCLUDING A WALL MEMBER OF SAID HOUSING WITH A GUIDE SLOT HAVING A STRAIGHT PORTION PERPENDICULAR TO SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE TERMINATING IN A BEND, A CARRIAGE SLIDABLE ALONG SAID GUIDE SLOT, AN ARM ON SAID COVER HAVING A FIRST PIN TRAVERSING SAID CARRIAGE AND SAID GUIDE SLOT, A SECOND PIN ON SAID ARM RECEIVED IN SAID GUIDE SLOT IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID FIRST PIN, AND LINK MEANS CONNECTING SAID CARRIAGE WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CARRIAGE WITH SAID FIRST PIN ALONG THE STRAIGHT PORTION OF SAID GUIDE SLOT, SAID SECOND PIN ENTERING SAID BEND IN A LIMITING POSITION OF SAID CARRIAGE FOR TILTING SAID ARM AND SWINGING SAID COVER OUTWARDLY UPON A RETURN OF SAID COVER TO SAID OPEN POSITION. 